House of Commons photoWon his last election, in 2000, with 56% of the vote.
Health May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I have conferred with officials. I have made sure they went over the questions asked by the member yesterday and the day before. In fact, my staff has seen a draft response which will be worked on further.
I would be happy to arrange a briefing between the member and the appropriate officials if she would like to have that done because the matters she raises are important. I assure her we will deal with them on that basis.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the member should know that the provincial governments actually provide health services. They are the ones that run the health systems in the provinces. Any solution must involve and include the provincial governments, which is the reason we brought them together to one table over several sessions to make the progress we have.
My objective in sitting with health ministers from across Canada tomorrow is to forge, if we can, a consensus approach to the remaining issues. That may not be possible. It may take more than tomorrow to get there if we can get there at all. However, that is my objective and it is to that process that I am committed.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I caution the member not to engage in speculation about what might happen tomorrow. He can be assured that neither I nor any member of this government would ever propose any approach that departs from the principle we think is important, that all people who are ill in this country should have single tier health care to look after them.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I have said repeatedly that the purpose of tomorrow's meeting is to determine whether a new consensus can be achieved. I hope that all health ministers will be at the table. We shall see tomorrow.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, the member will find that it is dangerous to use examples for partisan purposes.
A few weeks ago they were talking about a 15 year old boy. They were saying that 15 year old boy was excluded from the compensation offer. When we found out the facts of the case we discovered that the little boy was covered. I caution the member to be careful.
Rather than engage in that, I will be at the table tomorrow with provincial ministers from around the country to see if a new consensus can be reached on this important issue.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, over the last 10 months we have overcome remarkable provincial resistance. We have overcome ingrained provincial refusals to talk about these issues. We finally got them through a series of several meetings to the point where together we offered compensation to a group that was infected at a time when those responsible could have prevented those infections.
We will be sitting down again tomorrow to look at outstanding issues that have arisen in recent weeks. I can assure the hon. member we shall bring to the process tomorrow the commitment we have shown as a government throughout to do the best we can in these difficult circumstances.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, what we have managed to do, remarkably, is to make our way through the economic ruins left by the last government to restore fiscal balance and at the same time maintain cash transfers to the provinces at a floor of $12.5 billion a year. That is a remarkable achievement. We will bring that kind of skill and commitment to this issue as well.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I will, of course, approach the meeting with an open mind. That is the way I have approached the subject from the outset.
I also want to tell the hon. member that this is the party that is responsible for introducing medicare in Canada. This is the party that believes strongly in one tier of treatment for those who are ill and no proposal we make or support at any time will depart from the principle of one tier of treatment for those who are ill.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I do not think it is useful to speculate on the outcome of tomorrow's meeting.
I also think it is important to bear in mind that the solution to this issue must come not just from the federal government, but from all governments, the provincial governments who deliver health services, the provincial governments who are responsible for administering health programs in the provinces. To be sure, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, we have brought them to the table so far, but the solution must be found in the provinces as well as in the federal government.
Hepatitis C May 13th, 1998
Mr. Speaker, I will be meeting my counterparts tomorrow and I hope that all the health ministers will be at the table. Tomorrow we will determine whether we can settle the matter with a new consensus.
Today, however, what matters is that we are keeping an open mind and that we are prepared to work with our partners in Canada's health care system. I will be bringing this objective to the table with me tomorrow.